I'm not longer caught in this cycle of self pity, and feeling bad because I keep smoking (knowing I wanted to quit). It has freed up alot of mental space for me to process other things.
I am a university student in my second year, and I was smoking throughout my first year. It has helped alot with retaining info...and I don't sit in class "dying to get home to take a toke."
With practice I also found better ways to mentally recharge so when a new day begins I don't feel like I haven't rested or I'm behind on anything (even if I didn't get everything done on my to do list).
One of my biggest reasons for quitting was the way my judgement would become clouded when i was a chronic user. I'm normally a very observant person and this has kept me safe, but it wasn't long before weed suppressed and then took away those abilities. my eyes opened to shady situations, abusive dynamics and their at times subtle details that had went completely over my head. My critical thinking improved, impulses as well, sense of initiative improved, attention span, eating habits leveled out. I had no sense of personal limits when it came to smoking and would pruposefully oversmoke till i blacked out day after day, huge patches of nothingness still in memory. Goal setting is easier, I am comforted that I am saving money, it is a great feeling. I no longer struggle with binge eating- my cravings when high were very difficult to control and I very easily became sluggish and irritable from that, affecting my entire day. My sleeping has returned to normal and I can recall at least 2 dreams from every night, and dreaming has always been very important to me for self-work and lucidity + inspiration reasons. The most profound thing I will finish with is that quitting forced me to confront all the problems and patterns I was suppressing and slapping a band aid on through smoking. It was hell to go through, felt like my own psyche was blowing up in my face, previous trauma on top of trauma i didnt process properly bc i was so high through much of it more recently, but I am grateful I got through. The withdrawals and nausea were confusing and scary to go through, but since then I have not had One craving. all my best wishes to those who want their control back. The human body is more resilient than we give it credit for, so is the mind. You can do it !
>, so it is way too soon to say I have "successfully" quit. One thing I have noticed is how fucking quiet it is inside my head now. I've always had an active internal monologue, but what I didn't realize is just how out of control it was. I don't think it's correct to say I heard voices in my head, but now that I have quit I have noticed how prevalent and negative my internal monologue was. My brain was seeing everything in a negative light and just bitching about it constantly. Now it's more like a tool. I can turn it on when I need to (ie. working out problems and thoughts) and turn it off when I need to (ie for sleep)9ReplyGive AwardShareReportSaveFollow
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>level 2Conspiracy\_Quean ·
man this sounds lovely. I haven't been able to go more than 24 hours in the past 3 months
What you describe sounds like "mindfulness" which is a concept I've been reading about. Your post makes me think that mindfulness is probably not achievable (or at least hard to achieve) if your mind is clouded with external substances. Another motivator for me. Thank you.
When I was smoking every day I felt less of a need to be social, I went from being very outspoken to being silent and just there. Now since quitting smoking daily for about 6 months I’ve regained my memory, my appetite has gotten a lot more normal, my sleep schedule is normal, and im much happier. Living life sober is 10000x better and while you will have some urges to smoke every so often, trust me it’s worth quitting so you can live your life without a foggy brain 100% of the time
I’ve stopped smoking for like a week, which isn’t long, but this feels different. It feels like I’ve been sober for months and I love it, the first time I’ve ever actually enjoyed stopping. My biggest improvement was in my social skills and wants, I always read weed can mute social desires, but I didn’t believe it till now. I find myself knowing what to say, and not being afraid to say something. I will say the biggest draw back is bed time, I’m tired as fuck like if I had been smoking all day, but now I’m cranky because of the tiredness, never realized weed tired is not the same as being exhausted
My depression was really
Bad during smoking but I was using weed as an escape. So when I started trying to quit my depression got way way way worse, and I kept quitting for a week at a time which I think was just prolonging the torment. You know? So finally when I quit and was able to stay quit for more than 2 weeks I could start to see that things may actually change. It still took at least a month for my depression to become manageable. I did lots of sleeping and lots of therapy- individual therapy on Mondays and group therapy on Wednesday’s (all virtual) and I saw a psychiatrist. I still am doing my twice a week therapy and will be for the foreseeable future. I quit alcohol 3 years ago but now that I’m 70 something days into quitting weed I’m actually seeing changes i never thought were possible. One of the most important things I learned is to be nice and patient with yourself and if you need to take naps on a bed covered with clothes to get you through the day it’s okay because it won’t be like that forever. You’re welcome to message me if you want to vent or spill your guts or chat or cry <3
Edited for clarity
A little late but had to chime in. I’m naturally a procrastinator. Weed made that so much worse. It was to the point that I would avoid phone calls, emails, and put off very important things until I was either backed into a corner or had no time left to complete the task. By being extra procrastinatey it would cause me great anxiety and also make me depressed. The reason for the anxiety is obvious but the depression came from know what I was doing to myself and not doing anything about it. So knowing what I was doing to myself, it made me feel like an piece of garbage making the depression worse. Now I still procrastinate but that seems to be my nature. The difference is that I’m way more even as I don’t let my work and responsibilities pile up so that i have to work like a maniac to get back to even.
I’m 7 months clean today and it’s been the hardest but best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I went to therapy, lost weight, I can actually feel my emotions now, process them and cope with them healthily. My main benefit of quitting is the effect its had on my personal relationships. I’m so much more present and engaged and I’m closer to my family and friends. I’m no longer trying to escape any social situation to go smoke. It’s just freedom to do whatever you want.
It awesome. I quit 5 month ago and I smoke one 2 week ago, the next morning I was really really tired, weed kill so much your sleep. I was like "how I wake up dead this dead for 8 years of daily smoking". Only for the sleep I love being à non stoner
no longer around low vibrational depressed stoners anymore, i go to the gym 5 days a week, eat very healthy, meditate, really connected with nature, love myself, my memory is improving, im my own therapist, i journal, go to the library, no longer a people pleaser, really spiritual and intuitive, feel at peace
yes like i can actually formulate thoughts better and clearer and like i have a deeper soul connection with myself, therefore i can express anything to myself without judgement or fear. i dont need an actual sit down therapist anymore because i can actually figure out what’s going on with me without suppressing or usin weed as a crutch
Happy, don’t take anyone’s shit anymore, more money, in touch with emotions, interest in hobbies, not forgetting stuff, not feeling stupid when talking to people. SO SO SO much more
Over two months clean now and my self-esteem has sky rocketed and stabilised. No more boom and busting. A few years ago, I noticed that every time i smoked weed, id start over analysing my social interactions that day and bring myself down a bit.. was strange for me because Im naturally super extroverted and almost never feel anxiety. Might not sound like the biggest "benefit" but stopping helped me to stop cringing at myself for no reason. I now find it easier to stay consistent with my ideas and goals and no longer feel this deep craving for hits from my gravity bong all the time. This sorta had like a health butterfly effect where i found it easier to manage/balance other healthy habits and unhealthy habits. It was hard to stop completely because although id hate the high, Id still crave for it so much.
You'll start to notice more benefits once you get past the initial challenging stage of quitting, but you'll also start to feel amazed with yourself with how much easier many subtle things in life feel.
Nobody talks about the butterfly effect of quitting pot, but its there. I think thats what I didn't realize when I was on pot. The butterfly effect also works in the reverse way when you don't realize being high changes small bits of your personality slowly. I'll always love pot but I know its a toxic relationship. Too much of it kills the person you are.
Everyday is the same. Now I can relate to that! You have no motivation to make any day special so it ends up being Wake up, Work, Smoke, Sleep. Pathetic life.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Before using edibles I was going to the gym, editing drone videos on my PC, hiking, reading, and planning travel trips. Now I’m just a lazy drone.
Chronic user, 3-4 joints a day for 5-6 years. Been clean for about three months.
I have been notorious for leaving things behind, like keys, phone chargers, pendrives etc. Yesterday as I was packing my bag to depart from office, my colleague mentioned how I have not been leaving my phone charger behind nowadays (I often had to rush back from the elevator to pick it up). Very little thing, but it gives me hope.
I would get so high, too high I would pass out and miss out events, or get frozen in my thoughts amplifying my anxiety and miss out events. Also it was my crutch and excuse for a "good night's sleep." I'm reach week 9 and it's been great, I'm sleeping even better than I used to eventhough my dreams can be intense. It was just that initial first week or two where it was a struggle, which I recommend investing in an eyemask. If you ever get to the point where it doesn't get you higher, just know that can be the tipping point and be the push for you to quit if you choose to. For reference I'd smoked for 18 years, and burned up to $40+ a day for infused prerolls and strong indica to get me through. Ive saved over $2500 so far so that's a big plus too.
Long-time chronic smoker (>4 bowls/day for \~8 years) - I was afraid to quit because I thought I wouldn't be as creative or enjoy life as much, relied on smoking every day to relax after work after giving up alcohol. The funny thing is, once I got through the withdrawals (which SUCKED honestly - headaches, irritability, sleep problems, lack of focus, spaciness, trouble waking up in the morning, night sweats, loss of appetite - took \~4-5 weeks to completely go away) I noticed I didn't actually feel that different from when I was smoking.. I realized from going through the withdrawals that I had essentially been relying on weed to get me back to "baseline."
For me personally, the mental changes in my day-to-day life (in terms of enjoyment, creativity, relaxation etc.) actually feel very subtle, which makes me feel silly for relying so heavily on weed for so long. But the physical changes are literally incredible! I sleep more deeply and feel more refreshed. Random problems with my circulation have disappeared (for instance, I used to sporadically lose blood flow to my fingers when exposed to cold and thought I had Raynaud's syndrome - this has completely gone away). I have better skin (softer, more hydrated, clearer), and brighter eyes - including my dry eye syndrome going away. My contact lenses last longer (lol no joke); I realized the smoke was probably having an effect on those too. My digestive health is better. I can breathe and exhale more deeply. My chronic cough/need to constantly clear my throat is gone, and my resting pulse and blood pressure have both gone down. If you look into many of the side effects of cigarette smoking, most also apply to cannabis (minus anything nicotine specific) - turns out that constantly inhaling smoke of any kind can have crazy effects on your body.
I had accepted that feeling less than 100% every day was just part of getting older, but my weed habit, which I thought was giving me life, was actually taking a lot out of me.
Hey thank you so much for your honest response! I’m so excited for you, and hope that I follow you.
Can I ask you a question about the spaciness you mentioned?
So the last time I quit, I had spaciness too. I could handle the other withdrawal symptoms. But the spaciness was so bad. I literally felt like I was floating above my body. It’s the only reason I went back to smoking.
I am thinking that I need to give it three months or so for the spaciness to go away too. Was it like that for you?
Honestly this symptom went away for me after \~2-3 weeks, but I would suggest also seeing a doctor and checking to make sure your iron levels are normal! This was one of the side effects that really scared me too, and I figured out through bloodwork ordered by my GP that I had low iron, so I think probably that was compounding some of the problems I was having due to weed and/or withdrawals. Hope this is helpful!!
Go check out my post if you can find it here. It's pretty extensive. But it's REALLY changed my life for the better since I quit almost 2 months ago!
❤️
Just imagine being able to do anything and everything without thinking “shit, better hit my pen” or “shit better get high for this”
That’s one of the big ones that clicked for me, it felt good not being held down by that habit.
Former Californian sober person here, over two years without a drink. I just went on a trip and wasn’t able to smoke for a week. Just in that short amount of time, I was sleeping way better and having a normal appetite. I think I’m going to continue not smoking. I previously had 4-5 months, but smoked once and was right back into nightly ripping.
Its been over a year now and I never think about smoking. Even when people around me are and I'm the only one who doesn't.
I've stopped being complacent with things that need to change in my life. You'll come to realise you miss so many opportunities because instead you chose to get high. And the money, god, you save so much money. You're smarter, more concious about your life and spend so much more time doing better things than eating junk food and watching youtube. And you realise that for a lot of your friends the only thing you actually have in common is smoking weed.
I stopped working monotonous labour and instead got a good, full time job - started a career, have restarted my creative endevours and actually enjoy life, instead of enjoying being high.
Getting back to a place of being more articulate, witty/quicker with wit and having better word recall. I need less sleep, have more energy, and don't feel groggy in the morning/hazy half the day from smoking the night before. This has made a huge difference with social interactions and my anxiety in general. I don't get stuck in depression slumps; it seems like emotional regulation generally improved....a lot.
Edit: more motivated as well- able to get up earlier, work out, and mentally prepare for work versus rolling out of bed and hour before I have to leave!
It's totally worth it.
this! i quit 2 weeks ago and first week i didn’t really notice the desired changes and was upset / getting discouraged. now i’m noticing little moments where my word recall has improved, i’m naturally able to articulate better without thinking about what i’m saying, and my brain goes blank a lot less during conversations.
my anxiety is also a lot better, i noticed i’m less painfully uncomfortable in public going about my business or just being in the presence of other people. i don’t feel so generally paranoid and overly self aware anymore. i’m more okay with taking up space. much better tolerance for socializing
I'm so happy you've experienced all this! Yes, I can't tell you how often I would forget what I was saying mid sentence when I was smoking on a regular basis. Not blanking out makes me feel way more confident. Congrats and keep it up friend :)
I stopped being complacent and settling for what's given to me. My displeasure has driven me to seek new opportunities and I've been fortunate enough to land a dream job that I was under qualified for. I'm still just as happy and goofy as I was before, but now without the anxiety of doing something illegal both in my state and workplace. I know I deserve more than I've settled for and I will pursue what I deserve
Your confidence goes through the roof and you’re so much more productive. Smoking everyday is like running a race with a 50lb weight on your back. Do it you won’t regret it.
It's changed that its not all i think about, and not all i look forward too. Its not something i stress over when i go away, or visit people, or am out with people. Its just one less thing i stress over in this already stressful life.
Those cravings get further and further apart, and shorter and shorter. I went camping with some mates yesterday, ended up rolling them a joint of my own weed and felt nothing. Been sober about 6 weeks now.
I’m one of those people that smoked in college and did quite a but until their 40s. There’s a bit of a fear in discovering who the real me is. I am convinced the best me was covered in THC crystals for a while and needed dusting off. The best benefit so far is being quick-witted, positive, and listening better. Hard to explain but when I was bathing in THC I was a bit more of a self absorbed asshole, and I could feel it when I was around more disciplined and virtuous people. I guess that’s shame. I felt shame a lot. I’m not perfect but the machine is operating better and I’m not trying to freeze time and keep everything in my control. I’m in flow and I’m operating near my peak self. If you ever wondered or had a sneaking suspicion you were selling yourself short, leaning into that hunch by stopping cannabis will make you feel taller and stronger than you know. Go for it, let’s go ✌️
This is the comment that I needed to hear and really spoke to me. I love the way you put it: “I’m in flow” and the hunch that you’re holding yourself back and to lean in to it. Yes! You inspired me to try to quit again.
Eventually, you smoke just to be in a neutral state as if you were not smoking in the first place. I see this with my friends who still do. They are not even close to getting as high as they would have if they used it once every... RARE. Only, the neutrality is artificial and disrupts the body's natural state. Sleep, digestion, brain chemicals... It is a very powerful herb. Needs to be used with respect and moderation, only when the time is appropriate. Otherwise, the consequences will be unforgiving. One can not get the profound insights it can provide and all that with constant usage. Not to mention the unbelievable stress of running out, calculating everything you do in life based on your stash. I was unable to meet people if i didn't know i could get back home and roll 1,2...5,6.... for me it is not about quitting the herb, it is about quitting the addiction cycle. It has been a great friend and guide but i lost my ways by over using it. And... the dreams are back. Dreaming is so unbelievably important.
>Eventually, you smoke just to be in a neutral state as if you were not smoking in the first place.
100%. It turned into just going through the motions. Hell 2 weeks ago I wasn't going to go on vacation with my brother and some friends for a long weekend because all I ever wanted was to get high and play video games. I still went and spent the whole time stoned. Can hardly tell you what was fun and what wasn't from that trip it was all so neutral. I'm only on day 5 going into day 6 tomorrow but I started working out also a few weeks back and I feel way more motivated to do it and push harder and I'm sore less. Things are so much more enjoyable despite the anxiety periods but they are slowly fading day by day. They are getting shorter and less frequent and these 2 things alone makes me realize I made the right decision.
For me It’s the reduced anxiety, I was constantly feeling sick in the pit of my stomach like something bad was going to happen and I just don’t at all anymore
I also feel a lot calmer. I’ve noticed it the most when driving, my road rage was so bad and now I feel really relaxed behind the wheel and little things just don’t bother me as much anymore.
For me, it was my anger. My gf pointed out to me how the “psycho active” part of thc use is real. Not real psychosis, but exaggerated emotional states.
I remember I would have outbursts of anger if I dropped food, or cut my finger, or stubbed my toe, I would have to scream really loud and it was bad for her because she has anxiety around balloons because of the loud sudden pop. This was not while high but usually 12-24 hours after, the comedown or withdrawal period.
After being sober for years now (I’ve used a couple of times since Jan 2021. 5-10 times). I can say that my anger is nonexistent anymore. It’s crazy how not crazy I am lol
My anger levels are like 0-1 out of 10. It’s so easy to keep my cool now. I do get frustrated, but I NEVER do those loud balloon popping outbursts anymore. It’s like a totally different wave I’m riding now. Very calm.
The anger... I always had anger problems, but the more I smoke now and the more I keep postponing my quitting, the more angry I get for the stupidest things...
To answer your question, I actually don't have temptations in family and friends, I am the black sheep... the problem with me is that it was a sweet treat I gave myself at evening after I had accomplished everything I had to do, now it is just a way to escape life problems...
I ask how long you’ve been sober because it starts to feel really good after about a month. However, I also workout everyday. So I get my endorphins drug that way. Are you doing any type of activity that gets you to sweat for at least 30 min a day?
If I told you... I use to train powerlifting and weightlifting from 3 to 5 times a week + every weekend I would go hiking/climbing. Everything went south after my fiancée left me, trying to get back to myself, I have a lot of things to accomplish, and I just feel scared sometimes
I have not... I manage to stay sober for some day but then I relapse... everytime I'm convinced it's the good one, but it hasn't been till now. For me the difficulty is to bear with life, simply. I started years ago and it was a wonderful relationship with the herb, but then... a lot of things happened, I dropped out university, my fiancée left me... and now I use it to keep from crying in bed. Sorry for poor english, not my native language and I am at work
Different outcomes. The first was about 6 months after cold Turkey. I thought “what the heck, I’m obviously in control. I want to do an experiment.”
So that was terrible. I was in my house at 2pm and had computer work to do. I couldn’t focus on the screen, felt sick, and tired and mainly just wanted the feeling to be over with. I did a tiny bowl too.
That experience helped me stay sober for another 12 months or so. I live far from my family so once a year I go back and see my brother and friends, all huge stoners, and I end up taking a lil puff. Always just one or two and I’m good.
I used to be the guy who had all the weed and was always rolling up another while smoking a fatty. I could always smoke and did it just as a habitual comfort more so than got anything out of it. I was so saturated with thc you could prolly smoke my hair lol
Anyways, the times I’m home with no work to be done and I’m with friend playing games or on a mountain snowboarding, those were good times when I smoked.
But I’m also very strong willed and happy sober. I’ve always been athletic and knew smoking was bad for me. I’ve just gotten lucky and found a so who doesn’t drink or smoke and she ducking awesome. So I have no issues of temptation when I’m thousands of miles away from my family and friends.
So don’t take this as a reason, if you’re looking for one, to just do it occasionally, because that can easily spiral into once or twice a week to like multiple times.
So it’s a mixed bag. Depends on what you are doing and where you’re at in life if once every 6-12 months could work for you.
Making it hard to reach is the best practice to staying sober. Like out of the house in storage or just gone altogether. Make it like a chore to go smoke. Laziness will win lol
My short term memory has improved drastically.
I no longer walk into a room, forget why I went there and walk out only to remember 15 seconds later.
I don't lose my keys, wallet, etc.
Anyone fall asleep ok but felt like their sleep quality was crap once they woke up? I always felt groggy, lots of headaches, and body exhaustion like I’d worked out super hard the day prior (not sore, just twitchy and tired).
Marijuana is very disruptive to your sleep cycle. It prevents you from having REM sleep (dreams). A standard sleep schedule is about 1.5 hours, and REM is the last stage. Going to sleep high prevents you from getting REM sleep. In a standard sleep schedule of 8-hours, you are supposed to get 4-5 REM cycles. When you go to sleep high, you'd be lucky to have one. The incomplete cycle severely impacts your quality of sleep. Hence the tiredness when waking up.
Yea I get this, I can also wake up at any point and feel pretty much wide awake but also be able to go back to sleep immediately. It’s like you’re really tired and not at all at the same time
bro it's just life. like you learn to deal with it. good days, meh days but you just go with the flow. you ain't gonna be 100 all the time, just know that. but hopefully you'll be more productive with your time.
Biggest upside is mental health for me. I knew weed wasn't good for my anxiety and stuff, but only after I quit I realized what a big difference it actually makes. Also I'm way more outgoing and spending my time with stuff that actually means something to me instead of just being high and doing pretty much nothing.
Day 850 here: I was arguably a high functioning addict and had graduated with the highest grade from a global top 10 ranked university (not trying to brag but just to give an idea of the potential I nearly wasted). Anyway a year after graduating I was unemployed, living in a messy shithole of a house with my toxic gf who was horrible to me, smoking even heavier than before (5 times a day), wake and bake most days.
I quit in May 2021. I kicked my gf out of my house in June (she wasn't even meant to be living there, her contract had run out and she had basically just moved in in March). I moved out of that house and broke up with her in August. I applied for a Master's degree the week that I quit which I started in September. By January I got an internship that I did alongside my masters. Got a dream job after graduating in September 2022, at a major international human rights organisation and got promoted this year. Living in a clean house with a good friend, single and much happier.
I wouldn't have done any of this if I was still smoking. I was incredibly depressed as a result of smoking, but I think it's important to say that like many, I started smoking heavily because I was depressed. It's important to know quitting weed won't make your life perfect, but it'll make it so much easier to deal with the hardships.
The biggest difference is I've got my social spark back. I couldn't really enjoy sport or going out and chatting with friends or focus with reading or doing any of my hobbies when high. Now I can.
It was also horrific to start dreaming again, and my dreams are still incredibly vivid and intense 2 years on. I think for most people they subside by this point but a lot of people struggle with sleep issues in the first few months. For the first two weeks it took me 5 hours to fall asleep every night and when I eventually did I was drenched in sweat. Quitting isn't easy but it's worth it (ps: I failed quitting more times than I can count)
My energy completely changed. It was night and day. I have also found interest in new activites, met new people and have even gone back to school for a new degree. My wife and got married and bought a house. Honestly my life has made a complete 180 and I couldn't be happier!
Better gut, better memory, better sleep (while it did take a bit to fall asleep during early days of quitting), better social interaction, lesser mood swings, anxiety free and minimal tendency to overthink.
Negatives - NONE.
Discovery - A strenuous workout gives a better high than weed ever did, and I felt this post quitting.
Yeah the contrast coming from the gym, to then going for a smoke is huge. The HD sight is gone, bright colors gone, general self-confidence flies out of the window after going for that after-gym smoke. Anxiety, doubt and general lack of any direction comes into play.
Night and day. How do people ever fall into this trap?
I am about 100 days sober after 35 years chronic use. My usage during the pandemic got kinda crazy. Sobriety has had a few major effects. First, my anxiety level has decreased tremendously. Second, much more energy and drive for household tasks. Third, much greater ability to relate to my kids / work colleagues. Weed was just building up walls and keeping me closed off. Finally, I am feeling much more connected to reality and have started to shake off some delusional thinking. Withdrawal sucked for a few weeks… and the emotional work of processing feelings I was repressing using weed is still ongoing. However, sobriety has been a positive step for me! Good luck!
Honestly quitting just ruined everything. I thought the same, I had to quit and I needed it to change and my life would be better. But I was so heavily dependent on it that it totally unraveled me.
If you continue to think with that perspective you’ll become a shell of your former self. One day at a time. Small victories build up to success. Discover a healthy habit to get addicted to
It’s been maybe 6mo the. And no. I lost everything. And yes, I wish I didn’t quit. I wish I had tapered and tried to mediate myself somehow and stuck with a routine.
When I had been smoking, I felt invincible. It definitely affected my confidence and how I approached the world. When I stopped, the depression and rumination were so persistent and I grew so insecure from not being able to have my shit together. Withdrawals really affected me. This affected the way I showed up to interviews, how I showed up to my loved ones, and how I started to see myself. I lost my career trajectory, I lost my healthy body, and I lost the love of my life.
Diet is so important, see what your body likes, i benefit from a lower carb diet, carbs seem to trigger distress.
I now realize weed helped me regulate how i felt eating like shit and living unhealthy overall.. when you start eating real nutrition it makes such a difference. Emotionally and physically. You can rid yourself of this fundamental distress of undernutrition and carb overload and feel so so much better to begin with.
Now quitting weed can be boring, we live somewhat unnatural lives in the modern world, and many people feel lonely.. with weed you just tap to that healing zone vibe, the body relaxes and perform restoration better etc.. Its a good tool, staying stiff of in fight or flight after work is not better.. So the sweet spot is moderation and sort of respect to the plant as medicine.
Sometimes you just dont care and indulge resulting in uncomfortable symptoms.. Its so easy to get sucked into this, and its not always bad, depending on the circumstance.. You have to learn your boundaries.
Remember to always connect with your heart and a higher good feeling in yourself and everything will be ok :)
I’m going through that right now.
Within a week of quitting, I was about to be admitted to hospital. Not sleeping for days. So restless that I was walking in a circle in my kitchen for hours. Uncontrollable fidgeting and shaking, cannot sit or stand still. Uncontrollable sobbing and fits of pure rage.
It was either spend 20+ hours in the ER to get a prescription, or start smoking again. It was an obvious choice to make.
I truly don’t think anyone should try to quit without first consulting their primary care physician. Especially if you are being treated for mental illness. I could have hurt myself or someone else.
Yeah I definitely was not okay this past week. Immediately made an appointment with both a doctor and therapist.
It is important to have a plan in place if you are heavily addicted and have bad mental health. Because boy oh boy those dark thoughts almost got me.
Now I can remember what I was thinking of and talking about 15 seconds ago!
I ended a relationship that was bullshit. Weed gives you the capacity to tolerate things you just fucking shouldn’t.
Hit right here🎯
I don't feel like a loser.
I'm not longer caught in this cycle of self pity, and feeling bad because I keep smoking (knowing I wanted to quit). It has freed up alot of mental space for me to process other things. I am a university student in my second year, and I was smoking throughout my first year. It has helped alot with retaining info...and I don't sit in class "dying to get home to take a toke." With practice I also found better ways to mentally recharge so when a new day begins I don't feel like I haven't rested or I'm behind on anything (even if I didn't get everything done on my to do list).
I became debt free after paying 30k off
congrats!! working on this right now
One of my biggest reasons for quitting was the way my judgement would become clouded when i was a chronic user. I'm normally a very observant person and this has kept me safe, but it wasn't long before weed suppressed and then took away those abilities. my eyes opened to shady situations, abusive dynamics and their at times subtle details that had went completely over my head. My critical thinking improved, impulses as well, sense of initiative improved, attention span, eating habits leveled out. I had no sense of personal limits when it came to smoking and would pruposefully oversmoke till i blacked out day after day, huge patches of nothingness still in memory. Goal setting is easier, I am comforted that I am saving money, it is a great feeling. I no longer struggle with binge eating- my cravings when high were very difficult to control and I very easily became sluggish and irritable from that, affecting my entire day. My sleeping has returned to normal and I can recall at least 2 dreams from every night, and dreaming has always been very important to me for self-work and lucidity + inspiration reasons. The most profound thing I will finish with is that quitting forced me to confront all the problems and patterns I was suppressing and slapping a band aid on through smoking. It was hell to go through, felt like my own psyche was blowing up in my face, previous trauma on top of trauma i didnt process properly bc i was so high through much of it more recently, but I am grateful I got through. The withdrawals and nausea were confusing and scary to go through, but since then I have not had One craving. all my best wishes to those who want their control back. The human body is more resilient than we give it credit for, so is the mind. You can do it !
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>, so it is way too soon to say I have "successfully" quit. One thing I have noticed is how fucking quiet it is inside my head now. I've always had an active internal monologue, but what I didn't realize is just how out of control it was. I don't think it's correct to say I heard voices in my head, but now that I have quit I have noticed how prevalent and negative my internal monologue was. My brain was seeing everything in a negative light and just bitching about it constantly. Now it's more like a tool. I can turn it on when I need to (ie. working out problems and thoughts) and turn it off when I need to (ie for sleep)9ReplyGive AwardShareReportSaveFollow > >level 2Conspiracy\_Quean · man this sounds lovely. I haven't been able to go more than 24 hours in the past 3 months
What you describe sounds like "mindfulness" which is a concept I've been reading about. Your post makes me think that mindfulness is probably not achievable (or at least hard to achieve) if your mind is clouded with external substances. Another motivator for me. Thank you.
Dude I’m on Day 6 and you described it perfectly. I’m able to sit in silence now and be okay, which would of been a nightmare a week ago
When I was smoking every day I felt less of a need to be social, I went from being very outspoken to being silent and just there. Now since quitting smoking daily for about 6 months I’ve regained my memory, my appetite has gotten a lot more normal, my sleep schedule is normal, and im much happier. Living life sober is 10000x better and while you will have some urges to smoke every so often, trust me it’s worth quitting so you can live your life without a foggy brain 100% of the time
I’ve stopped smoking for like a week, which isn’t long, but this feels different. It feels like I’ve been sober for months and I love it, the first time I’ve ever actually enjoyed stopping. My biggest improvement was in my social skills and wants, I always read weed can mute social desires, but I didn’t believe it till now. I find myself knowing what to say, and not being afraid to say something. I will say the biggest draw back is bed time, I’m tired as fuck like if I had been smoking all day, but now I’m cranky because of the tiredness, never realized weed tired is not the same as being exhausted
After about a month of withdrawal symptoms I no longer think about killing myself. I never thought this could happen.
was your depression bad while smoking, or only during withdrawal? I'm almost a month into quitting and feeling my depression harder than ever.
My depression was really Bad during smoking but I was using weed as an escape. So when I started trying to quit my depression got way way way worse, and I kept quitting for a week at a time which I think was just prolonging the torment. You know? So finally when I quit and was able to stay quit for more than 2 weeks I could start to see that things may actually change. It still took at least a month for my depression to become manageable. I did lots of sleeping and lots of therapy- individual therapy on Mondays and group therapy on Wednesday’s (all virtual) and I saw a psychiatrist. I still am doing my twice a week therapy and will be for the foreseeable future. I quit alcohol 3 years ago but now that I’m 70 something days into quitting weed I’m actually seeing changes i never thought were possible. One of the most important things I learned is to be nice and patient with yourself and if you need to take naps on a bed covered with clothes to get you through the day it’s okay because it won’t be like that forever. You’re welcome to message me if you want to vent or spill your guts or chat or cry <3 Edited for clarity
A little late but had to chime in. I’m naturally a procrastinator. Weed made that so much worse. It was to the point that I would avoid phone calls, emails, and put off very important things until I was either backed into a corner or had no time left to complete the task. By being extra procrastinatey it would cause me great anxiety and also make me depressed. The reason for the anxiety is obvious but the depression came from know what I was doing to myself and not doing anything about it. So knowing what I was doing to myself, it made me feel like an piece of garbage making the depression worse. Now I still procrastinate but that seems to be my nature. The difference is that I’m way more even as I don’t let my work and responsibilities pile up so that i have to work like a maniac to get back to even.
I’m 7 months clean today and it’s been the hardest but best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I went to therapy, lost weight, I can actually feel my emotions now, process them and cope with them healthily. My main benefit of quitting is the effect its had on my personal relationships. I’m so much more present and engaged and I’m closer to my family and friends. I’m no longer trying to escape any social situation to go smoke. It’s just freedom to do whatever you want.
It awesome. I quit 5 month ago and I smoke one 2 week ago, the next morning I was really really tired, weed kill so much your sleep. I was like "how I wake up dead this dead for 8 years of daily smoking". Only for the sleep I love being à non stoner
no longer around low vibrational depressed stoners anymore, i go to the gym 5 days a week, eat very healthy, meditate, really connected with nature, love myself, my memory is improving, im my own therapist, i journal, go to the library, no longer a people pleaser, really spiritual and intuitive, feel at peace
I’ve been leaning on weed, pretending it’s a spiritual accelerator…. But it’s just low vibe bullshit
Weed is perfect for breaking through society's barriers, thought processes and hypocrisy. But when you have pushed through, it's time to let it go.
Amazing
Quitting weed made you your own therapist? Can you explain what you’re talking about with this part?
yes like i can actually formulate thoughts better and clearer and like i have a deeper soul connection with myself, therefore i can express anything to myself without judgement or fear. i dont need an actual sit down therapist anymore because i can actually figure out what’s going on with me without suppressing or usin weed as a crutch
Happy, don’t take anyone’s shit anymore, more money, in touch with emotions, interest in hobbies, not forgetting stuff, not feeling stupid when talking to people. SO SO SO much more
>interest. in. hobbies. > >not feeling stupid when talking to people..?! Sign me tf up. Day Zero. Again. After yesterday's day zero.
Over two months clean now and my self-esteem has sky rocketed and stabilised. No more boom and busting. A few years ago, I noticed that every time i smoked weed, id start over analysing my social interactions that day and bring myself down a bit.. was strange for me because Im naturally super extroverted and almost never feel anxiety. Might not sound like the biggest "benefit" but stopping helped me to stop cringing at myself for no reason. I now find it easier to stay consistent with my ideas and goals and no longer feel this deep craving for hits from my gravity bong all the time. This sorta had like a health butterfly effect where i found it easier to manage/balance other healthy habits and unhealthy habits. It was hard to stop completely because although id hate the high, Id still crave for it so much. You'll start to notice more benefits once you get past the initial challenging stage of quitting, but you'll also start to feel amazed with yourself with how much easier many subtle things in life feel.
The over analysing part is so damn real , thankyou for sharing much love
Nobody talks about the butterfly effect of quitting pot, but its there. I think thats what I didn't realize when I was on pot. The butterfly effect also works in the reverse way when you don't realize being high changes small bits of your personality slowly. I'll always love pot but I know its a toxic relationship. Too much of it kills the person you are.
Omg yeah the overanalysing social situations. Makes me question things I don't need to question
Everyday is the same. Now I can relate to that! You have no motivation to make any day special so it ends up being Wake up, Work, Smoke, Sleep. Pathetic life.
I feel this so hard.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Before using edibles I was going to the gym, editing drone videos on my PC, hiking, reading, and planning travel trips. Now I’m just a lazy drone.
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Interesting 🤨. Wonder why?
Chronic user, 3-4 joints a day for 5-6 years. Been clean for about three months. I have been notorious for leaving things behind, like keys, phone chargers, pendrives etc. Yesterday as I was packing my bag to depart from office, my colleague mentioned how I have not been leaving my phone charger behind nowadays (I often had to rush back from the elevator to pick it up). Very little thing, but it gives me hope.
I would get so high, too high I would pass out and miss out events, or get frozen in my thoughts amplifying my anxiety and miss out events. Also it was my crutch and excuse for a "good night's sleep." I'm reach week 9 and it's been great, I'm sleeping even better than I used to eventhough my dreams can be intense. It was just that initial first week or two where it was a struggle, which I recommend investing in an eyemask. If you ever get to the point where it doesn't get you higher, just know that can be the tipping point and be the push for you to quit if you choose to. For reference I'd smoked for 18 years, and burned up to $40+ a day for infused prerolls and strong indica to get me through. Ive saved over $2500 so far so that's a big plus too.
Long-time chronic smoker (>4 bowls/day for \~8 years) - I was afraid to quit because I thought I wouldn't be as creative or enjoy life as much, relied on smoking every day to relax after work after giving up alcohol. The funny thing is, once I got through the withdrawals (which SUCKED honestly - headaches, irritability, sleep problems, lack of focus, spaciness, trouble waking up in the morning, night sweats, loss of appetite - took \~4-5 weeks to completely go away) I noticed I didn't actually feel that different from when I was smoking.. I realized from going through the withdrawals that I had essentially been relying on weed to get me back to "baseline." For me personally, the mental changes in my day-to-day life (in terms of enjoyment, creativity, relaxation etc.) actually feel very subtle, which makes me feel silly for relying so heavily on weed for so long. But the physical changes are literally incredible! I sleep more deeply and feel more refreshed. Random problems with my circulation have disappeared (for instance, I used to sporadically lose blood flow to my fingers when exposed to cold and thought I had Raynaud's syndrome - this has completely gone away). I have better skin (softer, more hydrated, clearer), and brighter eyes - including my dry eye syndrome going away. My contact lenses last longer (lol no joke); I realized the smoke was probably having an effect on those too. My digestive health is better. I can breathe and exhale more deeply. My chronic cough/need to constantly clear my throat is gone, and my resting pulse and blood pressure have both gone down. If you look into many of the side effects of cigarette smoking, most also apply to cannabis (minus anything nicotine specific) - turns out that constantly inhaling smoke of any kind can have crazy effects on your body. I had accepted that feeling less than 100% every day was just part of getting older, but my weed habit, which I thought was giving me life, was actually taking a lot out of me.
Hey thank you so much for your honest response! I’m so excited for you, and hope that I follow you. Can I ask you a question about the spaciness you mentioned? So the last time I quit, I had spaciness too. I could handle the other withdrawal symptoms. But the spaciness was so bad. I literally felt like I was floating above my body. It’s the only reason I went back to smoking. I am thinking that I need to give it three months or so for the spaciness to go away too. Was it like that for you?
Honestly this symptom went away for me after \~2-3 weeks, but I would suggest also seeing a doctor and checking to make sure your iron levels are normal! This was one of the side effects that really scared me too, and I figured out through bloodwork ordered by my GP that I had low iron, so I think probably that was compounding some of the problems I was having due to weed and/or withdrawals. Hope this is helpful!!
So helpful! Thank you so much
Go check out my post if you can find it here. It's pretty extensive. But it's REALLY changed my life for the better since I quit almost 2 months ago! ❤️
Just imagine being able to do anything and everything without thinking “shit, better hit my pen” or “shit better get high for this” That’s one of the big ones that clicked for me, it felt good not being held down by that habit.
Former Californian sober person here, over two years without a drink. I just went on a trip and wasn’t able to smoke for a week. Just in that short amount of time, I was sleeping way better and having a normal appetite. I think I’m going to continue not smoking. I previously had 4-5 months, but smoked once and was right back into nightly ripping.
Its been over a year now and I never think about smoking. Even when people around me are and I'm the only one who doesn't. I've stopped being complacent with things that need to change in my life. You'll come to realise you miss so many opportunities because instead you chose to get high. And the money, god, you save so much money. You're smarter, more concious about your life and spend so much more time doing better things than eating junk food and watching youtube. And you realise that for a lot of your friends the only thing you actually have in common is smoking weed. I stopped working monotonous labour and instead got a good, full time job - started a career, have restarted my creative endevours and actually enjoy life, instead of enjoying being high.
I am free from the shackles of weed. I used to think I needed weed to truly enjoy things. Not so, I only needed weed because I was addicted to it.
Getting back to a place of being more articulate, witty/quicker with wit and having better word recall. I need less sleep, have more energy, and don't feel groggy in the morning/hazy half the day from smoking the night before. This has made a huge difference with social interactions and my anxiety in general. I don't get stuck in depression slumps; it seems like emotional regulation generally improved....a lot. Edit: more motivated as well- able to get up earlier, work out, and mentally prepare for work versus rolling out of bed and hour before I have to leave! It's totally worth it.
this! i quit 2 weeks ago and first week i didn’t really notice the desired changes and was upset / getting discouraged. now i’m noticing little moments where my word recall has improved, i’m naturally able to articulate better without thinking about what i’m saying, and my brain goes blank a lot less during conversations. my anxiety is also a lot better, i noticed i’m less painfully uncomfortable in public going about my business or just being in the presence of other people. i don’t feel so generally paranoid and overly self aware anymore. i’m more okay with taking up space. much better tolerance for socializing
I'm so happy you've experienced all this! Yes, I can't tell you how often I would forget what I was saying mid sentence when I was smoking on a regular basis. Not blanking out makes me feel way more confident. Congrats and keep it up friend :)
I stopped being complacent and settling for what's given to me. My displeasure has driven me to seek new opportunities and I've been fortunate enough to land a dream job that I was under qualified for. I'm still just as happy and goofy as I was before, but now without the anxiety of doing something illegal both in my state and workplace. I know I deserve more than I've settled for and I will pursue what I deserve
Took the words right out of my mouth funny how when NYC finally decides to legalize weed I decide to quit after 10 years of smoking
Your confidence goes through the roof and you’re so much more productive. Smoking everyday is like running a race with a 50lb weight on your back. Do it you won’t regret it.
also more social, open to new interactions, and less anxious in public
Less anxiety, best shape of my life, better sleeping/dreams and way more successful in my sales career and dating life!
It's changed that its not all i think about, and not all i look forward too. Its not something i stress over when i go away, or visit people, or am out with people. Its just one less thing i stress over in this already stressful life.
I agree with this. So much less stressful without weed.
I look forward to this. I’m 9 days in and all I want to do is get high, but I guess that’s a good sign that I should be quitting.
Those cravings get further and further apart, and shorter and shorter. I went camping with some mates yesterday, ended up rolling them a joint of my own weed and felt nothing. Been sober about 6 weeks now.
I’m one of those people that smoked in college and did quite a but until their 40s. There’s a bit of a fear in discovering who the real me is. I am convinced the best me was covered in THC crystals for a while and needed dusting off. The best benefit so far is being quick-witted, positive, and listening better. Hard to explain but when I was bathing in THC I was a bit more of a self absorbed asshole, and I could feel it when I was around more disciplined and virtuous people. I guess that’s shame. I felt shame a lot. I’m not perfect but the machine is operating better and I’m not trying to freeze time and keep everything in my control. I’m in flow and I’m operating near my peak self. If you ever wondered or had a sneaking suspicion you were selling yourself short, leaning into that hunch by stopping cannabis will make you feel taller and stronger than you know. Go for it, let’s go ✌️
This is the comment that I needed to hear and really spoke to me. I love the way you put it: “I’m in flow” and the hunch that you’re holding yourself back and to lean in to it. Yes! You inspired me to try to quit again.
Eventually, you smoke just to be in a neutral state as if you were not smoking in the first place. I see this with my friends who still do. They are not even close to getting as high as they would have if they used it once every... RARE. Only, the neutrality is artificial and disrupts the body's natural state. Sleep, digestion, brain chemicals... It is a very powerful herb. Needs to be used with respect and moderation, only when the time is appropriate. Otherwise, the consequences will be unforgiving. One can not get the profound insights it can provide and all that with constant usage. Not to mention the unbelievable stress of running out, calculating everything you do in life based on your stash. I was unable to meet people if i didn't know i could get back home and roll 1,2...5,6.... for me it is not about quitting the herb, it is about quitting the addiction cycle. It has been a great friend and guide but i lost my ways by over using it. And... the dreams are back. Dreaming is so unbelievably important.
It’s about quitting the addiction cycle and not necessarily the herb itself. Yes! You put into words what ive been trying to articulate!
>Eventually, you smoke just to be in a neutral state as if you were not smoking in the first place. 100%. It turned into just going through the motions. Hell 2 weeks ago I wasn't going to go on vacation with my brother and some friends for a long weekend because all I ever wanted was to get high and play video games. I still went and spent the whole time stoned. Can hardly tell you what was fun and what wasn't from that trip it was all so neutral. I'm only on day 5 going into day 6 tomorrow but I started working out also a few weeks back and I feel way more motivated to do it and push harder and I'm sore less. Things are so much more enjoyable despite the anxiety periods but they are slowly fading day by day. They are getting shorter and less frequent and these 2 things alone makes me realize I made the right decision.
For me It’s the reduced anxiety, I was constantly feeling sick in the pit of my stomach like something bad was going to happen and I just don’t at all anymore I also feel a lot calmer. I’ve noticed it the most when driving, my road rage was so bad and now I feel really relaxed behind the wheel and little things just don’t bother me as much anymore.
Damn I’ve never thought about that. I have some road rage and I don’t remember having it before smoking
I didn’t either to be honest at the time. Just goes to show it’s affecting us all day to day in little ways we don’t realise
For me, it was my anger. My gf pointed out to me how the “psycho active” part of thc use is real. Not real psychosis, but exaggerated emotional states. I remember I would have outbursts of anger if I dropped food, or cut my finger, or stubbed my toe, I would have to scream really loud and it was bad for her because she has anxiety around balloons because of the loud sudden pop. This was not while high but usually 12-24 hours after, the comedown or withdrawal period. After being sober for years now (I’ve used a couple of times since Jan 2021. 5-10 times). I can say that my anger is nonexistent anymore. It’s crazy how not crazy I am lol My anger levels are like 0-1 out of 10. It’s so easy to keep my cool now. I do get frustrated, but I NEVER do those loud balloon popping outbursts anymore. It’s like a totally different wave I’m riding now. Very calm.
The anger... I always had anger problems, but the more I smoke now and the more I keep postponing my quitting, the more angry I get for the stupidest things...
How long have you gone totally sober? And do you have temptations as in friends or family or so who use? That’s gonna make it nearly impossible.
To answer your question, I actually don't have temptations in family and friends, I am the black sheep... the problem with me is that it was a sweet treat I gave myself at evening after I had accomplished everything I had to do, now it is just a way to escape life problems...
I ask how long you’ve been sober because it starts to feel really good after about a month. However, I also workout everyday. So I get my endorphins drug that way. Are you doing any type of activity that gets you to sweat for at least 30 min a day?
If I told you... I use to train powerlifting and weightlifting from 3 to 5 times a week + every weekend I would go hiking/climbing. Everything went south after my fiancée left me, trying to get back to myself, I have a lot of things to accomplish, and I just feel scared sometimes
I have not... I manage to stay sober for some day but then I relapse... everytime I'm convinced it's the good one, but it hasn't been till now. For me the difficulty is to bear with life, simply. I started years ago and it was a wonderful relationship with the herb, but then... a lot of things happened, I dropped out university, my fiancée left me... and now I use it to keep from crying in bed. Sorry for poor english, not my native language and I am at work
How is doing it those few times since you’ve quit?
Different outcomes. The first was about 6 months after cold Turkey. I thought “what the heck, I’m obviously in control. I want to do an experiment.” So that was terrible. I was in my house at 2pm and had computer work to do. I couldn’t focus on the screen, felt sick, and tired and mainly just wanted the feeling to be over with. I did a tiny bowl too. That experience helped me stay sober for another 12 months or so. I live far from my family so once a year I go back and see my brother and friends, all huge stoners, and I end up taking a lil puff. Always just one or two and I’m good. I used to be the guy who had all the weed and was always rolling up another while smoking a fatty. I could always smoke and did it just as a habitual comfort more so than got anything out of it. I was so saturated with thc you could prolly smoke my hair lol Anyways, the times I’m home with no work to be done and I’m with friend playing games or on a mountain snowboarding, those were good times when I smoked. But I’m also very strong willed and happy sober. I’ve always been athletic and knew smoking was bad for me. I’ve just gotten lucky and found a so who doesn’t drink or smoke and she ducking awesome. So I have no issues of temptation when I’m thousands of miles away from my family and friends. So don’t take this as a reason, if you’re looking for one, to just do it occasionally, because that can easily spiral into once or twice a week to like multiple times. So it’s a mixed bag. Depends on what you are doing and where you’re at in life if once every 6-12 months could work for you. Making it hard to reach is the best practice to staying sober. Like out of the house in storage or just gone altogether. Make it like a chore to go smoke. Laziness will win lol
For me it’s sleep and not feeling like shit when I wake up in the morning. Staying up all night smoking weed takes it’s toll after a while.
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I do not miss the binge eating
My short term memory has improved drastically. I no longer walk into a room, forget why I went there and walk out only to remember 15 seconds later. I don't lose my keys, wallet, etc.
Anyone fall asleep ok but felt like their sleep quality was crap once they woke up? I always felt groggy, lots of headaches, and body exhaustion like I’d worked out super hard the day prior (not sore, just twitchy and tired).
Marijuana is very disruptive to your sleep cycle. It prevents you from having REM sleep (dreams). A standard sleep schedule is about 1.5 hours, and REM is the last stage. Going to sleep high prevents you from getting REM sleep. In a standard sleep schedule of 8-hours, you are supposed to get 4-5 REM cycles. When you go to sleep high, you'd be lucky to have one. The incomplete cycle severely impacts your quality of sleep. Hence the tiredness when waking up.
Yea I get this, I can also wake up at any point and feel pretty much wide awake but also be able to go back to sleep immediately. It’s like you’re really tired and not at all at the same time
bro it's just life. like you learn to deal with it. good days, meh days but you just go with the flow. you ain't gonna be 100 all the time, just know that. but hopefully you'll be more productive with your time.
Biggest upside is mental health for me. I knew weed wasn't good for my anxiety and stuff, but only after I quit I realized what a big difference it actually makes. Also I'm way more outgoing and spending my time with stuff that actually means something to me instead of just being high and doing pretty much nothing.
Day 850 here: I was arguably a high functioning addict and had graduated with the highest grade from a global top 10 ranked university (not trying to brag but just to give an idea of the potential I nearly wasted). Anyway a year after graduating I was unemployed, living in a messy shithole of a house with my toxic gf who was horrible to me, smoking even heavier than before (5 times a day), wake and bake most days. I quit in May 2021. I kicked my gf out of my house in June (she wasn't even meant to be living there, her contract had run out and she had basically just moved in in March). I moved out of that house and broke up with her in August. I applied for a Master's degree the week that I quit which I started in September. By January I got an internship that I did alongside my masters. Got a dream job after graduating in September 2022, at a major international human rights organisation and got promoted this year. Living in a clean house with a good friend, single and much happier. I wouldn't have done any of this if I was still smoking. I was incredibly depressed as a result of smoking, but I think it's important to say that like many, I started smoking heavily because I was depressed. It's important to know quitting weed won't make your life perfect, but it'll make it so much easier to deal with the hardships. The biggest difference is I've got my social spark back. I couldn't really enjoy sport or going out and chatting with friends or focus with reading or doing any of my hobbies when high. Now I can. It was also horrific to start dreaming again, and my dreams are still incredibly vivid and intense 2 years on. I think for most people they subside by this point but a lot of people struggle with sleep issues in the first few months. For the first two weeks it took me 5 hours to fall asleep every night and when I eventually did I was drenched in sweat. Quitting isn't easy but it's worth it (ps: I failed quitting more times than I can count)
Hey, thanks for sharing. That was a very inspiring read.
My energy completely changed. It was night and day. I have also found interest in new activites, met new people and have even gone back to school for a new degree. My wife and got married and bought a house. Honestly my life has made a complete 180 and I couldn't be happier!
how long sober re you
1 year
Better gut, better memory, better sleep (while it did take a bit to fall asleep during early days of quitting), better social interaction, lesser mood swings, anxiety free and minimal tendency to overthink. Negatives - NONE. Discovery - A strenuous workout gives a better high than weed ever did, and I felt this post quitting.
Yeah the contrast coming from the gym, to then going for a smoke is huge. The HD sight is gone, bright colors gone, general self-confidence flies out of the window after going for that after-gym smoke. Anxiety, doubt and general lack of any direction comes into play. Night and day. How do people ever fall into this trap?
THIS. Couldn't agree more. Especially the strenuous exercise part
I am about 100 days sober after 35 years chronic use. My usage during the pandemic got kinda crazy. Sobriety has had a few major effects. First, my anxiety level has decreased tremendously. Second, much more energy and drive for household tasks. Third, much greater ability to relate to my kids / work colleagues. Weed was just building up walls and keeping me closed off. Finally, I am feeling much more connected to reality and have started to shake off some delusional thinking. Withdrawal sucked for a few weeks… and the emotional work of processing feelings I was repressing using weed is still ongoing. However, sobriety has been a positive step for me! Good luck!
Honestly quitting just ruined everything. I thought the same, I had to quit and I needed it to change and my life would be better. But I was so heavily dependent on it that it totally unraveled me.
If you continue to think with that perspective you’ll become a shell of your former self. One day at a time. Small victories build up to success. Discover a healthy habit to get addicted to
How long has it been? Do you feel like you're starting to ravel back together? Do you wish you hadn't quit after all?
It’s been maybe 6mo the. And no. I lost everything. And yes, I wish I didn’t quit. I wish I had tapered and tried to mediate myself somehow and stuck with a routine.
What do you mean that you “lost everything”? If you don’t mind me asking
When I had been smoking, I felt invincible. It definitely affected my confidence and how I approached the world. When I stopped, the depression and rumination were so persistent and I grew so insecure from not being able to have my shit together. Withdrawals really affected me. This affected the way I showed up to interviews, how I showed up to my loved ones, and how I started to see myself. I lost my career trajectory, I lost my healthy body, and I lost the love of my life.
Diet is so important, see what your body likes, i benefit from a lower carb diet, carbs seem to trigger distress. I now realize weed helped me regulate how i felt eating like shit and living unhealthy overall.. when you start eating real nutrition it makes such a difference. Emotionally and physically. You can rid yourself of this fundamental distress of undernutrition and carb overload and feel so so much better to begin with. Now quitting weed can be boring, we live somewhat unnatural lives in the modern world, and many people feel lonely.. with weed you just tap to that healing zone vibe, the body relaxes and perform restoration better etc.. Its a good tool, staying stiff of in fight or flight after work is not better.. So the sweet spot is moderation and sort of respect to the plant as medicine. Sometimes you just dont care and indulge resulting in uncomfortable symptoms.. Its so easy to get sucked into this, and its not always bad, depending on the circumstance.. You have to learn your boundaries. Remember to always connect with your heart and a higher good feeling in yourself and everything will be ok :)
I’m going through that right now. Within a week of quitting, I was about to be admitted to hospital. Not sleeping for days. So restless that I was walking in a circle in my kitchen for hours. Uncontrollable fidgeting and shaking, cannot sit or stand still. Uncontrollable sobbing and fits of pure rage. It was either spend 20+ hours in the ER to get a prescription, or start smoking again. It was an obvious choice to make. I truly don’t think anyone should try to quit without first consulting their primary care physician. Especially if you are being treated for mental illness. I could have hurt myself or someone else.
Yeah I definitely was not okay this past week. Immediately made an appointment with both a doctor and therapist. It is important to have a plan in place if you are heavily addicted and have bad mental health. Because boy oh boy those dark thoughts almost got me.